Antispill attachment for skis



Dec. 14, 1948. N. E. EBBLEY, JR 2,455,920

ANTISPILL ATTACHMENT FOR SKIS Filed May 16, 1947 inventor NORMAN 5.55515): J/Z

- Gttornegs Patented Dec. 14,1948 1.;

UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFICE I p f I i 2,455,92tff; k i

ANTISPILL ATTACHMENT SKIS Norman E. Ebbley,"Jr.,- Leadville, I Colo.

" Application May 16, 1947, Serial No.

' ;6 Claims. (01. 28041.37) f Perhaps the greatestproblem which besets a novice skier is to keep one ski out of the path of the other, that is, to prevent their crossing. In executing a snow plow the ski tips turn inward towards one another, and frequently become crossed, and in a stem turn one ski may unintentionally cross over the other. The skilled skier knows how to perform such maneuvers, and how to avoid trouble while performing them, but the novice either does not know these things, or fails to realize in time that his maneuvers will have such a result. One ski crossing and bearing upon the other pins down the lower one,-so that the latter can not be lifted in turn, as the skier had intended. If the skier has shifted balance, as he should, preparatory to executing such a maneuver as a'stem turn, his body tendsfto go in the new direction, but his pinned-down ski requires his leg to go straight ahead in the old direction. The result is usually a badspill, andbecause of the twisted position'of the legs, and, sometimes, be, cause of excessive or uncontrolled speed, there is a high percentage of probability that a broken leg will result. Spills resulting from crossing of the skis, at slow or at high speed, are responsible for the majority of serious spills and of broken bones.

But even the skilled skier has similar difliculties at times. In parallel andhigh speed racing or skiing, where a spill, though infrequent, is more serious when it does occur, skis will sometimes "catch an edge in the snow, and crossing results. The resultant spill, because of the high speed involved, is likely to be serious.

Crossing of the skis, then, lies at the root of such spills, and if crossing could be prevented automatically, the number of spills might be greatly lessened. It is to the solution of this problem that the present invention is directed.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a non-spill attachment for skis which, by automatically preventing such crossing of the skis as will produce spills, will eliminate a high percentage of the dangerous spills which beginners frequently suffer, or which may occur in high speed skiing by experts.

Since skilled skiers will not use it if it destroys the balance of the skis, and unskilled skiers should not use a device which would unbalance their skis, it is a further object to provide such an attachment which is inherently light, and so constructed and applied that it will not affect the balance of the skis.

It is a further object to provide such a device which is simple and inexpensive to make, and

simpleto mount or dismount, and which is so constructed that it cannot injure the skier in the event he does spill; I

With the above objects in mind, and others I which will shortly appear, the invention comtrated in conjunction with a typical or conventional pair of skis.

Figure l is a side-elevation of the foreport of such a ski, with the attachment broken away and shown partly in section, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is'a perspective of a skier performing,

a snow-plow and showing the manner in which the attachment prevents crossing of the skis.

Figure 4 is a plan view'of the forepart of a pair of skis, relatively positioned as are the skis in Figure 3, showing more clearly how crossing is avoided by the use of this attachment.

The skis illustrated are not intended to represent any particular type, design, or construction, but aremerely typical of any ski; the attachments may be, applied to any ski. The main runner l of each ski always has an upturned tip 2. Because of the turn-up of the tip, it is not conducive to spillin if there is no more crossing than is illustrated in Figure 3, for the lower ski is not pressed down, and can be extricated and lifted when necessary. If crossing progresses so far that the upper ski holds down the lower ski, harm may result. The attachment which I am about to describe is so positioned and so shaped that such crossing of the skis is largely prevented, and certainly is minimized, even though the skis be forced together by reaction from the snow as the skis catch an edge, or from some other cause.

width of a ski, the flanges 4 preferably protrude only forwardly and rearwardly, for attachment ferred that they be only slightly higher, if higherat all, than the height of the upturned tips 2. It

has already been indicated that they are prefer- I ably of a diameter approximating the width of 'a ski, and they are located sufiiciently-closelybehind the upturned tip of the ski that no appreciable portion of the ski behind the upwardly curved tip can cross over the other ski. :Snch tips, if crossed, do not pin down the other ski,

and the latter can still be lifted and turned, as

is clear from Figure 3.

The form and proportions of the post are reasonably well shown in the drawings, but by way of example it may be noted that the post, in a practical form that has'been used, measures three inches in diameter at the base, two inches in diameter across the closed rounded top, and five inches in height. Such posts when installed have their centers approximately twelve inches behind the forward tip of the ski. These dimensions are given purely 'by way of example, and not as limitations.

In construction these posts are preferably formed of thin, lightweight sheet metal, and need weigh no more than three or four ounces each, and consequently they will not affect the balance of the skis. .For expert skiers in high speed skiing, the posts can'be somewhatsmaller than the posts which are intended for use by beginners.

With the posts installed as already described, it is clear from Figure 3 that when the tips of the skis are turned inwardly, purposely or accidentally, the tip of one ski cannot well cross over the tip of the other ski sufhciently to press the latter downward and to hold'it from moving outwardly, simply because, before any such extensive crossing can occur, the top ski engages the post 3 on the opposite ski, and thereby the further crossing of the skis is blocked and-prevented. If a spill does result, the posts themselves constitute no added hazard. Their lightness-and their smooth shape and small size make it almost impossible for the posts themselves to injure the skier or a bystander.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a pair of skis, an upright post mounted upon each ski closely behind the upturned tip, of a height equalling but not greatly exceeding the height of such tip, and devoid of protuberances whereon the edge of the opposite ski may catch.

2. In combination with a pair of :skis, two upright posts and means to mount the same upon the respective skis, closely behind the upturned tip, each post being of generally cylindrical form but tapering slightly and uniformly upwardly to a level in the vicinity of that of such tip, and being of a diameter, at their base, approximating 1 the Width of the ski.

3. A non-spill attachment for a ski, comprising an upright post of generally cylindrical form,

of a diameter approximating the width of the ski, and of a height approximating that of the upturned tip of the ski, and means vfor attaching said attachment to the ski, closely behind the skis tip. p r

i. A non-spill attachment for skis, comprising an upright post of generally cylindrical form, .of a diameter approximating the width of the ski, and of a height slightly in excessoi the height of the turned-up ski tip, for attachment closely behind the ski tip, anddevoid of protuberances above its base, said post havingmeansat its base for securement upon a sk-if 5. A non-spill attachment for a ski, comprising a hollow shell constituting an upright 'postloi generally cylindrical form, slightly tapering Iupwardly, and closed at its top, devoid of protuber ances, and means for securing said shell to the skis upper surface, just behind the upturned ski tip.

6. A non-spill attachment fora ski, comprising a hollow shell constituting an upright post of generally cylindrical form, slightly tapering upwardly, and closed at its top, devoid of protuberances, and flanges directed forwardly and rearwardly from the base of said shell, for securement to the upper surface of a ski rearwardly of the skis tip.

NORMAN E. EBBLEY, JR.

No references are cited. 

